Government takes oversight of Texas City Refinery

BP is getting tagged by OSHA for a 50 Million dollar fine, and OSHA will be taking oversight of its process safety management. I would love to see Feds in charge bunker up and charge at BP’s next fire. The Galveston Daily News explains.

TEXAS CITY ﻿— BP will pay $50 million and must allow more direct oversight of its process safety management in an agreement with federal regulators for failing to correct safety problems at its Texas City refinery, Occupational Health and Safety Administration officials said.

BP will also spend $500 million over the next six years to improve process safety systems at the Texas City facility, company spokesman Scott Dean said.

The record fine was issued today after an OSHA investigation last year found BP had failed to correct hazards it had agreed to fix after a March 2005 explosion that killed 15 people at the Texas City refinery.

While this isn’t related to the oil spill in the gulf, one is reminded of BP’s less than sterling safety record, while we also wonder if the government isn’t just bent on destroying a powerful oil company. Us Labor Secretary Hilda Solis isn’t shy about telling how she feels.

OSHA will also have direct access to BP’s Process Safety Management System and will conduct regular inspections of the refinery, Solis said.

Much of the expanded oversight would include the United Steelworkers Union, which represents the bulk of the BP workforce. BP will also spend $500 million by 2016 to make the safety improvements required by OSHA.

“The size of the penalty rightly reflects BP’s disregard for workplace safety and shows that we will enforce the law so workers can return home safe at the end of their day,” Solis said.